The Olden Golden Days

“I can’t really remember when I last had any hope, and I certainly can’t remember when anyone else did either. Because really, since women stopped being able to have babies, what’s left to hope for?”-Children of Men

I believe that, in my lifetime, there has been a golden age of television drama. In fact, if I we weren’t in the middle of the WGA Strike, I’d say that that very golden age was still continuing today, but, due to the idiot producers, I can’t make that statement right now. However, I do believe that the television that has been on the air in my lifetime has been some of the best scripted entertainment to ever be seen, not just on television. With no end to the strike in sight(as shown by the frequent posts over at United Hollywood),  a television addict, such as myself, has to turn to DVDs and fond memories for solace. So, as a way to help any other TV addicts out there, I’m presenting my top 5 TV shows that are no longer on the air.

5. Sports Night
A TV show that focuses on the behind the scenes workings of a TV news show, albeit a sports show, is not exactly a new idea. What self respecting TV junkie hasn’t seen, or at least heard of, The Mary Tyler Moore Show? However, the difference between that show and this masterwork by Mr. Aaron Sorkin is seen in several aspects. For one, Sorkin was lucky to work in an era that didn’t have the tyrannical censors of the 70s that were able to make sure that MTM’s show wasn’t able to be as free-wheeling as TV today. But, even more so, Sorkin refused to be pigeon-holed into the role of a sitcom. The genre-defying Sports Night was not really a comedy. In fact, the tone of the show can be much more closely linked to the dramas of today, and in particular a few that will be mentioned in this list, than it can be linked to the sitcomy nature of Seinfeld or Friends, which probably contributes in no small way to it being the only 30-minute show to make this list. Combine all of that with the stellar cast that included Peter Krause, Josh Charles, Felicity Huffman, Joshua Malina, Sabrina Lloyd, and the incomparable Robert Guillaume, and it will quickly become apparent why I was heartbroken when this show was canceled after only 2 seasons.

4. Angel
This is going to begin a theme in this list. This spin-off of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is, in some respects, stronger than the show that spawned it. The core characters of Angel, Cordelia, and Wesley are direct transfers from that show, but the depth that their characters gain upon their move to LA actually makes this show much deeper and darker than the brilliant Joss Whedon was ever willing to go with his original creation. Throughout the 5 seasons of Angel, David Boreanaz showed both the dramatic chops, and the comedic timing, that has served him well in his new hit show, Bones, in the time since. Also, Whedon’s stable of writers are top notch when it comes to being both intelligent and fanciful at the same time. The fact that the strongest season of the show was the 5th and final season, during which it was completely rebooted into a new premise of sorts, shows that the powers that be in television are frequently blind to the creative value of the products they put on the air.

3. Firefly
I told you that a theme would begin to develop. Joss Whedon’s third series was, arguably, his most original. I mean, who the hell sits down to write a pilot for a TV show and thinks “I want to do a Western…in space…with no aliens”? If you removed the spaceships and distant planets, and substituted the Old West and distant towns, you really wouldn’t miss a beat in this spectacularly crafted sci-fi epic. However, by placing his series in a speculative future, Whedon is able to look at political and societal issues that he cares about and place them in a “safe” scenario that doesn’t disturb the viewer too much. The performances by Nathan Fillion, Alan Tudyk, Adam Baldwin, and the fantastic Summer Glau make this show much more than just another trite, quirky, sci-fi space show. The real focus of this show was family and loyalty, which is a theme one sees throughout Whedon’s work.

2. Buffy The Vampire Slayer
The theme seems to have continued. The first show from genius creator Joss Whedon is, despite a few comments made in previous posts, the best of his babies. The way that Whedon, along with that brilliant stable of writers(especially Jane Espenson and Marti Noxon), is able to capture the true feeling behind people whose lives are spiraling out of control is amazing. From the high school seasons, where the monsters serve as metaphors for the trials of teenagers everywhere, to the college seasons and beyond, as the challenges become more real life and less metaphorical, this show is written with such wit and truth that one can easily see themselves as members of the Scooby Gang, if they lived in a hellish world of demons, vampires, and witches. The show was also never afraid to take chances. Whether Whedon chose to do an episode with almost no dialogue(“Hush”) or as a musical(“Once More With Feeling”), he wasn’t ever happy to just sit on his laurels and rake in the money. After 7 spectacular seasons on the air, I, for one, was very sad to see Sarah Michelle Gellar, Alyson Hannigan, Nicholas Brendon, and Anthony Stewart Head standing together for what was very likely the last time. I’ll admit, a tear may have been shed.

1. The West Wing
Yes, I realize that my 5 all-time best TV shows no longer on the air consist of only two creators. This is not my fault. It just happens that Aaron Sorkin and Joss Whedon are freakin’ geniuses. Case in point, Sorkin comes off a very dissapointing failure with his fantastic Sports Night and delivers a TV show about the political process that doesn’t bore everybody to death. Not only is it embraced by critics and viewers, it is often cited as one of the greatest television shows of all-time. It won 4 straight Best Drama Emmys in its first four years. In the 7 years that it was on the air, it was nominated for Best Drama 7 times. Yes, for those of you bad at math, that is every single time it could have been nominated for Best Drama, it was. However, if you aren’t one who puts a lot of stock in industry awards, I defy anybody with half a brain to sit down, watch 3 or 4 episodes of The West Wing, and not be inspired to get more involved in the political process. The “inside baseball” of many episodes and storylines would be shockingly boring in most hands, but with the combination of great writing and amazing casting and acting, there is never a boring moment in the Bartlett Administration. Kudos to Bradley Whitford, Richard Schiff, Allison Janney, the late John Spencer, and Martin Sheen for sticking out the entire run of the best show TV has ever been graced to have on its air.